Cameroon: Maps, History, Geography, Government, Culture, Facts, Guide & Travel/Holidays/Cities Boko Haram Targets Civilians in Cameroon Geography Cameroon is a Central African nation on the Gulf of Guinea, bordered by Nigeria, Chad, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. It is nearly twice the size of Oregon. Mount Cameroon (13,350 ft; 4,069 m), near the coast, is the highest elevation in the country. The main rivers are the Benue, Nyong, and Sanaga. Government After a 1972 plebiscite, a unitary republic was formed out of East and West Cameroon to replace the former federal republic. History Bantu speakers were among the first groups to settle Cameroon, followed by the Muslim Fulani in the 18th and 19th centuries. The land escaped colonial rule until 1884, when treaties with tribal chiefs brought the area under German domination. After World War I, the League of Nations gave the French a mandate over 80% of the area, and the British 20% adjacent to Nigeria.

After World War II, when the country came under a UN trusteeship in 1946, self-government was granted, and the Cameroon People's Union emerged as the dominant party by campaigning for reunification of French and British Cameroon and for independence. Accused of being under Communist control, the party waged a campaign of revolutionary terror from 1955 to 1958, when it was crushed. In British Cameroon, unification was also promoted by the leading party, the Kamerun National Democratic Party, led by John Foncha. Snapshot, Africa: Cameroon Cameroon Map Courtesy CIA World Factbook The Republic of Cameroon is a unitary republic of central Africa. It borders Nigeria, Chad, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and the Gulf of Guinea. The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroons merged in 1961 to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon which in 1972 was renamed the United Republic of Cameroon; since 1984 the country is known as the Republic of Cameroon or République du Cameroun (its official languages are English and French).

Cameroon has generally enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of an ethnic oligarchy. The capital is Yaoundé. The first inhabitants of Cameroon were the pygmy Baka tribes. The Bantu language originated in the highlands of Cameroon, but many of its speakers moved out before foreign invaders came into the nation. The first European contact was in the 1500s with the Portuguese, but they did not stay. The first permanent settlements were started in the late 1870s, with Germany emerging as the major European Power. After World War I though, the country would be split by Britain and France. In 1961 the French and British portions of Cameroon were united, the French portion having gained independence a year earlier. The new coalition government was led by Ahmadou Ahidjo who led a crack down on rebel groups who had remained since before independence. Ahidjo stepped down in 1982 and was succeeded by the current president, Paul Biya. Biya has won numerous elections, but the fairness of these elections has been questioned.

The last elections were held on October 11, 2004. Cameroon Embassy Riyadh Learn More Discover our cultural diversity Cameroon has a high level of geological and cultural diversity. The country is located in Central Africa, deep inside the Gulf of Guinea. It is... Ambassador's Welcome Dear Viewers, It is a pleasure to be in touch with you through the website of the Embassy of the Republic of Cameroon in Riyadh. The objective of this tribute is to provide you with the consular information which you may need and above all is to promote the image of Cameroon in this region. Cameroon - Country Profile - Nations Online Project Location map of Cameroon A virtual guide to Cameroon, the country in Central Africa is bordered by the Gulf of Guinea (Atlantic Ocean) in south west. Cameroon borders Nigeria in north west, the Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville), Gabon and Equatorial Guinea in south, the Central African Republic and Chad in east, and it has a narrow lakefront at Lake Chad in north. With an area of 475,650 km², the country is almost as large as Spain or slightly larger than the US state of California .

Its southern and coastal areas are characterized by dense vegetation, a vast river system and a hot, humid climate with abundant rainfall. Largest city is Douala, the country's main port and economic capital with its commercial and industrial activities, Yaounde is the second largest city and the political capital of Cameroon. Other major urban centers are Edea, characterized by its heavy industry and its hydro-power plant, Limbe, headquarters of the oil industry and Kribi terminal of the Chad-Cameroon pipeline. Cameroon has a population of 24 million people (in 2016), English and French are official languages , however French is by far the most commonly used language. Country Calling Code : +237 Capital City: Yaounde (pop. 1.1 million) Other Cities: Douala, major seaport and commercial capital (1.3 million), Garoua (424,312), Maroua (409,546), Bafoussam (319,457), Bamenda (321,490), Nkongsamba (166,262), and Ngaoundere (216,300).

Government: Republic; with a strong central government dominated by president. Independence: 1 January 1960 (for areas formerly ruled by France) and 1 October 1961 (for territory formerly ruled by Britain). Constitution: 2 June 1972, last amended in January 1996. Geography: Location: Central West Africa bordering the Bight of Biafra (part of the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean) Area : 475,650 km² (183,650) sq. mi.). Terrain: Northern plains, central and western highlands, southern and coastal tropical forests. Highest peak: Mt. Cameroon (13,353 ft.). Climate: Northern plains, the Sahel region--semiarid and hot (7-month dry season); Central and western highlands where Yaounde is located--cooler, shorter dry season; southern tropical forest--warm, 4-month dry season; Coastal tropical forest, where Douala is located--warm, humid year-round. People: Nationality: Cameroonian(s); French noun and adjective--Camerounais(e).

Population (2016): 24 million Ethnic groups: About 250. Religions: Christian 53%, Muslim 22%, indigenous African 25%. Languages : French and English (both official) and about 270 African languages and dialects, including pidgin, Fulfulde, and Ewondo. Literacy: 75% Natural resources: Oil, timber, hydroelectric power, natural gas, cobalt, nickel. Agriculture products: timber, coffee, tea, bananas, cocoa, rubber, palm oil, pineapples, cotton. Industries: Petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair Exports - commodities: crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, and cotton. Exports partners: China 16.7%, India 15.7%, Spain 6.2%, Belgium 6.1%, France 6.1%, Portugal 5.6%, Netherlands 5%, Italy 5% (2015) Imports - commodities: machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food, cereals, fish.

Imports partners: China 27.9%, Nigeria 13.9%, France 10.9%, Belgium 4.1% (2015) Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF) Note: External links will open in a new browser window. Official Sites of Cameroon Cameroon | The Commonwealth The Commonwealth Africa Did you know: Celebrated writers originating from Cameroon include Ferdinand Oyono, who was born in Ebolowa, South Region, in 1929 and died in 2010; and Mongo Beti, born in Akométan, Centre Region, in 1932 and died in 2001. The many Cameroon nationals who have excelled in international football include Samuel Eto’o, African Footballer of the Year in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2010; Patrick Mboma, 2000; Thomas Nkono, 1979 and 1982; and Roger Milla, 1976 and 1990. Key facts Population density (per sq.

km): 47 Cameroon is called Cameroun in French, Kamerun in German, Camarões in Portuguese, and Cameroon in English. The country’s name derives from camarões, meaning ‘shrimps’, so called by the 15th-century Portuguese explorer Fernando Po who named the River Wouri Rio dos Camarões (‘shrimp river’), after the many shrimps. Cameroon in central Africa is bounded clockwise (from the west) by the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria, Chad, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. The country comprises ten regions: Adamaoua, Centre, Coastal, East, Far North, North, North-West, South, South-West and West. Main towns: Yaoundé (capital, in Centre Region, pop.

1.81m in 2010), Douala (principal port, in Coastal Region, 2.13m), Garoua (North Region, 573,700), Bamenda (North-West, 546,400), Maroua (Far North, 436,700), Bafoussam (West, 383,200), Ngaoundéré (Adamaoua, 314,100), Bertoua (East, 297,200), Loum (Coastal, 249,100), Kumbo (North-West, 222,600), Edéa (Coastal, 209,600), Mbouda (West, 188,200), Kumba (South-West, 180,000), Foumban (West, 171,600), Dschang (West, 149,300), Nkongsamba (Coastal, 131,100), Ebolowa

 (South, 129,600), Kousséri (contiguous with Ndjamena in Chad, Far North, 95,100) and Buea (South-West, 59,700).

Transport: There are 51,350 km of roads, eight per cent paved. The rail network runs 977 km north–south from Ngaoundéré to Yaoundé, with connections between Douala and Yaoundé, and from Douala to Nkongsamba and Kumba. Douala is the principal port, Kribi handles mainly wood exports, Garoua on the Benue river is navigable only during the wet season and Limbo-Tiko is a minor port, severely silted up. International airports are at Douala (10 km south-east of the city), Yaoundé (25 km from city) and Garoua. International relations: Cameroon is a member of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, African Union, Non-Aligned Movement, Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, United Nations and World Trade Organization. Topography: The physical geography is varied, with forests, mountains, large waterfalls and deserts, falling into four regions. At the border of the northern Sahel region lies Lake Chad and the Chad basin; further south the land forms a sloping plain, rising to the Mandara Mountains.

The central region extends from the Benue (Bénoué) river to the Sanaga river, with a plateau in the north. This region includes the Adamaoua plateau which separates the agricultural south from the pastoral north. In the west, the land is mountainous, with a double chain of volcanic peaks, rising to a height of 4,095 metres at Mt Cameroon. This is the highest and wettest peak in western Africa. The fourth region, to the south, extends from the Sanaga river to the southern border, comprising a coastal plain and forested plateau. There is a complicated system of drainage. Several rivers flow westwards: the Benue river which rises in the Mandara Mountains and later joins the River Niger, and the Sanaga and Nyong rivers which flow into the Gulf of Guinea. The Dja and Sangha drain into the Congo Basin. The Logone and Chari rivers flow north into Lake Chad. Climate: In the northern Sahel region, there is a long dry season from October to April, with temperatures varying from cool to very hot. Further south, on the Adamaoua plateau, there are sharp drops in temperature at night.

In the south the climate is hot and humid, with two rainy seasons, in September/October and from March to June. Environment: Gulf of Guinea Islands Biodiversity Project 2024 m 654 m There is only a shallow sea bed between Bioko and the mainland, and it is thought that this island was connected to Africa during the most recent ice age (approximately 10,000 years ago) and its lowland fauna and flora should generally reflect that of the mainland. The oldest geological dates, and hence the beginning of biological colonization for Principe, Sao Tome, and Annobon are respectively 31 mya, 14 mya, and 4.8 mya (Lee, et al, 1994). Map of the Gulf of Guinea Islands off the west coast of Africa. (Annobon is off the map to the lower left). The theory of island biogeography (MacArthur and Wilson, 1967) indicates that the richness of an island's fauna and flora is proportional to that island's distance from source areas, the island's size, and its elevation.

The elevational factor would provide more niches than a similar sized island with simple planar topography. Using this theoretical basis alone, it would be expected that any fauna would become progressively more depauperate from Mt. Cameroon to Bioko to Sao Tome to Principe to Annobon as one proceeds to smaller and lower islands farther from the mainland. However, it has been demonstrated that islands often develop unique, endemic faunal and floral elements (see Quammen, 1996 for a good summary and examples of this phenomenon). This may be due to the effects of genetic drift upon small populations of colonizing species, or perhaps evolutionary pressures upon colonizing populations which are quite different than presssures of the source area. The longer these genetic factors have had to work on a population in isolation, the more unique that fauna and flora becomes. Although Sao Tome is a much larger and higher island than Principe, Principe has a geological history more than twice as long as that of Sao Tome. By the time Sao Tome emerged from the ocean, Principe had been available for colonization and evolutionary development for 17 million years. This situation would have created a second, closer source for colonization of Sao Tome.

The faunal and floral elements present on the more distant three islands may have arrived by either of two different routes. 1) The more migratory plants and animals may have arrived recently by island hopping from the nearest island to the coast to ever more distant islands. One would then predict that the plants and animals present on the respective islands would be a progressively more depauperate subset of the nearer islands as the filtering effect of each step reduced the founder diversity. View of Luba, town on the west coast of Bioko. The second alternative is that Principe developed an early fauna and flora through sweepstakes colonization. The few species that were able to colonize this island would have had a small population evolving in isolation, so that evolutionary constraints would have been minimal and genetic drift maximized. Endemic species would have evolved, and some of these species would have populated the next island in sequence to emerge from the ocean floor, as the adjacent island would have been a closer source area than the continent itself. Under this scenario, there would be many endemic species on the islands, especially Principe, and the fauna and flora of Sao Tome would have arrived from both the rich mainland source and a more endemic Principe source.

The only endemic reptile on Bioko, Chamaeleo feae. Keith Dabney (right) and two assistants collecting insects at an ultraviolet light on Bioko. In all probability there will be some elements of island hopping on all islands of the group, particularly among the more migratory species. There probably are also differences in composition between various groups of plants and animals. For instance, grasses and insects migrate more easily than oaks and snakes. Elevation and island size must play a role. However, the central question is to what degree did sweepstakes colonization and subsequent isolated evolution contribute to populating the islands? This should be clearly evident by the number and percentage of endemic species. A second question is the possible existence and composition of temperate fauna and flora so close to the equator. During the last glacial period (approximately 10,000 years ago) the climate of equatorial Africa was much cooler and because so much water was locked up as glaciers, the sea levels were lower, exposing more land surface. As the current warmer interglacial period began, these land areas became progressively more isolated and smaller.

The insular fauna and flora were forced to retreat further up the volcanic peaks and appropriate environmental conditions became fewer and smaller in area. To what extent did this temperate fauna and flora survive? To what extent was it modified by changing environmental conditions? The high volcanic peaks of Mt. Cameroon, Bioko, and Sao Tome contain some of the largest areas of this temperate climate in West Africa, and yet the plants and animals are relatively unknown. Mount Cameroon Mount Cameroon is the highest point in West Africa, reaching 4095 m height. It has the largest area of temperate plants and animals in this region. As such, it also provides a source area and refugium for other, smaller temperate areas, such as the higher peaks on Bioko (3308 m) and Sao Tome (2024 m). Baseline data for spiders and ants of West Africa have been developed through the collections of Dr. Charles E. Griswold (Jan.-Feb. 1992) and Dr. Brian L. Fisher (April 2000). Mt. Cameroon from the air. Mt.

Cameroon Photo Album Bioko Since it is known that Bioko was in contact with the mainland during relatively recent periods of lowered sea level, this island should serve as a benchmark of which species are available to provide a source for island hopping of fauna and flora from the mainland lowlands and Mt. Cameroon. This is the largest and highest island, and is presumed to have the greatest number of niches for animal and plant survival. For this reason, a group of California Academy of Sciences researchers from the Herpetology and Entomology Departments travelled to Bioko Island from 14 September to 21 October, 1998. They spent six weeks collecting in as many habitats and using as many trapping techniques as possible. Participants included: Dr. Robert C. Drewes (Herpetology & team leader), Jens Vindum (Herpetology), Lindsay Henwood (Herpetology), Darryl Ubick (Entomology) and Keith Dabney (Entomology). The resulting collections, along with other published records, serve as baseline data from which to judge the fauna and flora of the more distant islands. Tent site pitched at about 2000 m between a road and steep mountain slope.

Darryl Ubick seen attempting to prevent flow of water from entering the tent. One of the more colorful caterpillars seen on Bioko Keith Dabney (in blue hat) and Darryl Ubick (with backpack) using umbrellas to collect spiders beaten from vegetation on Bioko. Report on the Spiders (Araneae), Acrocerid flies (Diptera), and Ground Beetles (Carabidae) of Bioko Principe Principe is the oldest of the Gulf of Guinea Islands not near the mainland. Some rock samples have tested to be 31 million years of age. Although not as high as Bioko and Sao Tome, the highest peak is 948 m altitude, so that some remnants of a previously more widespread cooler fauna and flora may remain. Sao Tome Center of the capital city, Sao Tome. A rural home near Bomboaim built onto a steep hillside. From 25 March 2001 to 22 May 2001 a second, larger multidisciplinary team will travel to Sao Tome and Principe Islands to better document the fauna and flora of those two islands. Participants include: Dr. Robert C.

Drewes (team leader - Herpetology), Dr. Tomio Iwamoto (Ichthyology), Dr. Charles D. Griswold (Entomology), Dr. Sarah Spaulding (Invertebrate Zoology), Dr. Norman D. Penny (Entomology), Dr. Doug Long (Mammalogy and Ornithology), Jens Vindum (Herpetology), Dong Lin (Photographer), Joel Ledford (Entomology), Ricka E. Stoelting (Herpetology) and Fabio Penny (Computer Services). Transects will be made up the central mountain to explore as many elevational niches as possible. Fresh water fish collections will be made using seine nets and small electro-shock probes. Bats will be studied with mist nets. Snakes, frogs, and lizards will be collected by hand collecting and use of long grasping poles. Insects, spiders, and other arthropods will be collected using pitfall traps, flight intercept traps, light traps, Molasses traps, detritus sifters, dusting spider webs with corn starch, and beating arthropods from the vegetation onto inverted umbrellas.

Freshwater diatoms will be scraped from as many moist micro-habitats and streams as can be determined. Collections from this second expedition will be compared with the results of the collections from Bioko to determine which species they have in common and which species came from other source areas. Results may help us better understand which species are long distant colonizers and how evolution has affected small, isolated populations of these species. We hope to find remnants of a previously more widespread temperate fauna at the higher elevations. One of many freshwater streams on Sao Tome. Secondary peaks below the principal peak of Sao Tome (to the right). A volcanic dike on Sao Tome which created this distinctive landform when the softer surrounding rock was worn away. References Lee, D-C., A.N. Halliday, J.G. Fitton, G. Poli. 1994. Isotopic variations with distance and time in the volcanic islands of the Cameroon line: evidence for a mantle plume origin. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 123:119-138. MacArthur, R.H. and E.O. Wilson. 1967. The Theory of Island Biogeography. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey.

Quammen, D. 1996. The Song of the Dodo. Island Biogeography in an Age of Entinctions. Touchstone Books. New York, New York. 702 pp. Web site created by Norman D. Penny and Fabio R. Penny. Last updated 10 April 2001 Cameroon Rebels Threaten Security in Oil-Rich Gulf of Guinea - Jamestown Cameroon Rebels Threaten Security in Oil-Rich Gulf of Guinea Publication: Terrorism Monitor Volume: 8 Issue: 43 November 24, 2010 06:14 PM Age: 6 years Cameroon pirates in 2008. A hybrid criminal/separatist movement operating in the swampy peninsula of Bakassi is now targeting oil industry infrastructure in the Gulf of Guinea in its effort to shake off Cameroonian control of the region, which was administered by Nigeria until last year. Like neighboring Nigeria, Cameroon has suffered a loss in oil production as a result of the activities of coastal “pirates,” recording a 13% drop in production in 2009.

Though much of Cameroon’s oil industry is still in the exploration stage, there are high expectations for further discoveries in the area. The Gulf of Guinea is a resource-rich area, with Angola, Nigeria, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea already major oil producers. Ghana is expected to soon join their ranks as Washington estimates the Gulf of Guinea region will supply a quarter of U.S. oil supplies by 2015 (Reuters, May 19). Cameroon is the twelfth-largest oil producer in Africa, with estimated reserves of roughly 200 million barrels in the offshore Rio del Ray Basin, the coastal Douala/Kribi-Camp Basin and the Logone Birni Basin in northern Cameroon. Despite this, Cameroon’s production has dropped from a 2005 high of 94,000 barrels per day to a current 77,000 barrels per day. Covering an area of roughly 257 square miles, Bakassi is composed largely of creeks and mangrove covered islands, making it hard to patrol and a haven for smuggling activities.

The abundant fishing grounds off Bakassi provide a livelihood for most of the population, most of whom are “Calabar people” from Nigeria’s Akwa Ibom State and Cross River State. Violence on the Cameroon Coast Fears of a Nigerian-style insurgency based on oil production increased with an attack on security forces near the offshore Moudi oil terminal (run by Franco-British Perenco) on the night of November 16. The attack, claimed by the “Africa Marine Commando,” left six dead, including three civilians, two members of Cameroon’s Bataillon d’Intervention Rapide (BIR – Rapid Intervention Battalion) and one of the assailants (Quotidien Mutations [Yaoundé], November 18; La Nouvelle Expression [Douala], November 18; AFP, November 18). Cameroonian security officials later said the attackers had been in contact with Perenco and the French Total oil firm for several days before the assault, demanding payment of a “security tax” to continue operations. Cameroonian officials have criticized the foreign oil companies for paying protection money to insurgents and bandits, just as local fishermen do (AFP, November 18).

Boats that have paid the tax are given a small flag to indicate payment has been made. The same Africa Marine Commando (AMC) also claimed responsibility for the abduction of six sailors from a Belgian ship anchored 40 km off Douala last September. An AMC spokesman said the hostages were moved to a camp on Nigerian territory and demanded the release of ten Ijaw fighters in a Cameroonian prison and the immediate opening of direct talks with Cameroon president Paul Biya (Le Jour [Yaoundé], September 29). The AMC, which appears to be a faction of the larger Bakassi Freedom Fighters (BFF) movement, also kidnapped seven Chinese fishermen in Cameroonian coastal waters who were later freed in exchange for an undisclosed ransom (Radio France Internationale, March 13). In May, gunmen in light boats attacked two cargo ships in Douala harbor, kidnapping two Russian crewmen from one ship and looting the safe and abducting the captain of the second ship, a Lithuanian refrigerated vessel (Reuters, May 19).

The security of Douala’s port is a major regional concern as Douala acts as the commercial lifeline for the land-locked Central African Republic and Chad, another major petroleum producer which runs its oil through the Chad-Cameroon pipeline to the Cameroon port of Kribi. The gunmen operating off Cameroon’s coast have carried out several daring raids, including a September 2008 operation in the fishing port of Limbe, in which gunmen landed in boats before breaking into the town’s Amity bank, where they stole several million dollars, killed one person and wounded may others (The Post [Yaoundé], September 29, 2008). A number of other notable incidents of politically-generated violence have occurred in Bakassi in recent years: • On November 12, 2007, 21 soldiers were killed in the Bakassi Peninsula by gunmen wearing uniforms. The attack was claimed by the previously unknown “Liberators of the Southern Cameroon People” (IRIN, November 13, 2007; November 20, 2007).

• Ten hostages (six French, two Cameroonians, one Senegalese and one Tunisian) were seized by Bakassi Freedom Fighters under Commander Ebi Dari on the night of October 30-31, 2008 (Radio France Internationale, November 2, 2008; Jeune Afrique, December 2). • Gunmen in a canoe killed a police officer in a motorized canoe off Bakassi in December 2009, with the BFF taking responsibility for the attack (Le Jour [Yaoundé], December 21, 2009). The Dilemma of the Bakassi Peninsula The complex issue of what nation Bakassi belongs to began with the decision of the Obong (paramount ruler) of Calabar to sign a treaty of protection with the British in 1884, thus making his territory (including the Bakassi peninsula) a British protectorate. Bakassi fell under the Nigerian colonial administration until 1913, when Britain ceded the territory to the neighboring German colony of Kamerun in return for navigation rights to Calabar, an important commercial center.

German control was short-lived, with a combined British-French-Belgian invasion force taking control of the colony in 1916 after a year-and-a-half of stiff resistance from a tiny German garrison reinforced by local troops. After the war, most of the former German colony fell under a French mandate, with a smaller portion becoming “the British Cameroons.” This included Bakassi, as recognized in a 1919 treaty with the French. However, when the rest of the former British Cameroons voted by a 1961 plebiscite to join with the new nation of Cameroon rather than join Nigeria, Bakassi remained under Nigerian administration. After several border clashes with Nigeria over Bakassi and a northern region near Lake Chad, Cameroon took the issue to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 1994. With special reference to the Anglo-German Treaty of 1913 and colonial era diplomatic correspondence between the two imperial powers, the ICJ ruled in favor of Cameroon in 2002, ordering Nigeria to transfer sovereignty over Bakassi to Cameroon, but without requiring any of the Nigerian residents in Bakassi to leave or change their citizenship.

The details of the transfer of sovereignty were worked out in the Green Tree Agreement, which was assembled with the additional participation of the United States, Great Britain, France and Equatorial Guinea. Popular and political opposition to the decision within Nigeria delayed the transfer of sovereignty, though the government neither ratified nor rejected the court’s verdict. In Bakassi itself, there was wide dissatisfaction with the decision in the English-speaking Nigerian majority. As one Bakassi native told a Nigerian daily: "The United Nations should realize that we have the right to decide where we want to be and the right to self-determination. We are Nigerians and here in our ancestral home. You can see some of the graves here dating back to the 19th century. How can you force a strange culture and government on us? We appreciate what the Nigerian government is doing but let it be on record that they have betrayed us and we will fight for our survival and self-determination" (The Guardian [Lagos], August 18, 2006). Left in a political limbo, it was unsurprising that many residents of Bakassi tried to take control of their own political future.

In July 2006 the Bakassi Movement for Self-Determination (BMSD) joined with the Southern Cameroons Peoples Organization (SCAPO) and the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) to declare the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Bakassi, an unsuccessful attempt to found a new nation in the small peninsula that brought out few supporters. After the Nigerian Senate ruled the transfer of sovereignty was illegal in 2007, the three groups again declared the independence of Bakassi in July 2008, this time with BMSD declaring it would subsume all its activities under the “joint leadership” of MEND: "With the withdrawal of Nigerian troops from the Bakassi Peninsula, which takes away our last line of defense as Nigerian citizens and exposes our people to perpetual and permanent bondage of exploitation, under-development and death, which characterized life in the larger Niger Delta and the Gulf of Guinea over the last 50 years of multi-national oil companies’ occupation with the connivance of Nigerian leaders, we are left with no other option than to defend our land and people by any means necessary" (The Post [Yaoundé], July 31, 2008).

Noting that the Green Tree Agreement violated the Nigerian constitution and had failed to be ratified by the Nigerian Senate, many Nigerian politicians condemned the transfer and challenged its legality (This Day, July 29, 2008). Nigerian residents of Bakassi were given the option of moving to a “New Bakassi” some 30 km inside Nigeria, but the new settlement had no fishing, no roads and few services. Many Nigerians wished to move from Bakassi but remained there after hearing reports of conditions in the new settlement (IRIN, November 13, 2007). The current Obong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V, has led an effort to overturn the ICJ ruling, which he says took no note of the opinions of the residents of Bakassi: "We expected that the government could have come to the people and called for a referendum so that the people would decide what they wanted for themselves. But I don’t really know why it had to be done that way. That decision was taken and part of my territory was ceded. I am not happy and my people are not happy about it.

Because it [the decision] is now creating problems for my people. We cannot take care of them. We have been struggling with the relocation issue" (Nigerian Compass, July 9, 2009). The secessionist SCAPO movement had a different plan – including Bakassi with the Southern Cameroons in a secessionist “Republic of Ambazonia.” Although the Cameroon government refused to acknowledge the political dimension of the violence in Bakassi by declining to identify the insurgents as anything other than “armed bandits,” the decision to hold the August 14, 2009, ceremony marking the transfer of authority in the Nigerian city of Calabar rather than in Bakassi was interpreted as an acknowledgement that Bakassi was far from secure (Reuters, August 13, 2008; Jeune Afrique, December 2, 2008).

Prior to the transfer of power the BFF announced a merger with another militant group battling the military in Bakassi, the Niger Delta Defense and Security Council (NDDSC), with the intention of setting Bakassi “ablaze” and crippling its economy if the handover went through (Africa Press International, July 21, 2009). Most of the Bakassi militants disarmed on September 25, 2009, but only weeks later ex-rebels claimed Cameroon’s security forces took advantage of this to kill six Nigerians in Bakassi territorial waters as a warning to other Nigerians to stay out of Cameroonian territory. Complaints began to be heard from “Nigerian” residents of Bakassi that the Nigerian navy had abandoned them to “the Cameroonian gendarmes” (Next [Lagos], October 16, 2009). Several months after the transfer of authority, Dan Don Atekpi, the former leader of the disbanded Bakassi Salvation Front (BSF), announced that his movement would renew hostilities against Cameroon government forces in 2010.

Claiming 20 Nigerians had been killed by “these heartless Cameroonians” in the first two months after the transfer, Atekpi stated: “We are being provoked to take up arms. We have no intention of doing so except for this unprovoked attack.” Atekpi was also concerned with the failure of the Cameroon government to pay former militants the daily allowance called for in the transfer terms or to provide skills training or other means of rehabilitation (Next [Lagos], January 14). Secession in the Southern Cameroons The two mainly English-speaking provinces that joined Cameroon by plebiscite in 1961 (known as the Nord-Ouest and Sud-Ouest provinces of Cameroon, or collectively as the Southern Cameroons) have also become secessionist hotbeds since the 1990s. The secessionist movements active in the South Cameroons usually include Bakassi in their plans for an independent state.

The Southern Cameroon National Council (SCNC) is a secessionist group that has adopted a peaceful approach to freeing Southern Cameroons “from the stranglehold of our oppressor – La République du Cameroun” (The Post [Yaoundé], October 8). The related SCAPO movement complains that the Cameroon government is interested only in the region’s oil and not the Southern Cameroonians or the Bakassians. SCAPO declared the establishment of an independent “Republic of Ambazonia” in August 2006. Cameroon’s Bataillon d’Intervention Rapide (BIR) The BIR was formed in 1999 as the Bataillon Léger d’Intervention (BLI), a special intervention force designed to eliminate foreign rebels, bandits and deserters (the “coupeurs de routes”) who were destroying the security of Cameroon’s northern provinces through cattle rustling, abductions, murder and highway robbery. As part of military reforms carried out in Cameroon in 2001, the unit took on its current BIR designation. BIR officers are selected from the graduates of the Ecole Militaire Interarmées in Yaoundé.

The BIR commandos were sent to the coast in 2007 to assist the Delta Command in dealing with a rapidly deteriorating security situation (The Sun [Limbe], October 13, 2008). The BIR’s mandate has expanded from providing border security since its formation, however, the elite force has mutated into something of a Praetorian Guard for President Paul Biya, an authoritarian who has ruled Cameroon since 1982, sometimes hiring his own international observers to legitimize his victories in largely unopposed elections. The unit’s reputation in Cameroon took a hit in February 2008, when roughly 100 unarmed civilians were killed when the unit was brought in to Doula and Yaoundé to put down protests against the high cost of living (IRIN, August 29, 2008). Several months later the BIR was again deployed in the cities to prevent protests against the elimination of presidential term limits and the granting of immunity to Biya for all actions taken while in office. Conclusion For once, oil is not the main source of the conflict, as Nigeria and Cameroon have agreed to share the revenues from any oil produced off the Bakassi coast.

It is, however, an aggravating factor with local militants who complain of the inequitable distribution of oil revenues and the presence of large multinationals with little concern for the well-being of local residents. Bakassi remains largely underdeveloped and mounting insecurity will do little to change this state of affairs. In some cases there is resistance by the Nigerian population to use services such as hospitals provided by Cameroon, as it would be a sign of acceptance of Cameroonian rule (IRIN, August 8, 2009). Most important, however, is the growing perception in Bakassi of the BIR as a colonial-style occupation force with little, if any, local representation. The growing divide between the Anglophone residents of Bakassi and the new Francophone administration invites the spread of a Niger Delta style low-level insurgency that is willing to hobble the development of the oil industry in the Gulf of Guinea through kidnappings and armed attacks to achieve its political aims – independence or a return to Nigerian sovereignty. Cameroon | Define Cameroon at Dictionary.com Cameroon noun 1. Also, Cameroun . Official name United Republic of Cameroon.

an independent republic in W Africa: formed 1960 by the French trusteeship of Cameroun; Southern Cameroons incorporated as a self-governing province 1961. 183,350 sq. mi. (474,877 sq. km). Capital: Yaoundé. 2. an active volcano in W Cameroon: highest peak on the coast of W Africa. 13,370 feet (4075 meters). Related forms Examples from the Web for Cameroon Expand Contemporary Examples There are even worse ones, though less reported, from places like Cameroon, Kyrgyzstan, and Egypt. West African studies Mary Henrietta Kingsley British Dictionary definitions for Cameroon Expand noun 1. a republic in West Africa, on the Gulf of Guinea: became a German colony in 1884; divided in 1919 into the Cameroons (administered by Britain) and Cameroun (administered by France); Cameroun and the S part of the Cameroons formed a republic in 1961 (the N part joined Nigeria); became a member of the Commonwealth in 1995. Official languages: French and English.

Religions: Christian, Muslim, and animist. Currency: franc. Capital: Yaoundé. Pop: 20 549 221 (2013 est). Area: 475 500 sq km (183 591 sq miles) French name Cameroun German name Kamerun 2. an active volcano in W Cameroon: the highest peak on the West African coast. Height: 4070 m (13 352 ft) Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd.

1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Cameroon travel advice - GOV.UK GOV.UK 9 December 2016 Latest update: Summary – the Foreign and Commonwealth Office now advise against all but essential travel to the city of Bamenda (the capital of the North West region) The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advise against all travel to: Far North region within 40km of the border with Nigeria’s Adamawa state in Cameroon’s North and Adamaoua regions within 40km of the border with Chad within 40km of the border with the Central African Republic (CAR) the Bakassi Peninsula (as shown on the map) The FCO advise against all but essential travel to: the city of Bamenda in North West region the rest of North and Adamaoua regions Since 21 November 2016, there have been protests in Bamenda and Buea (in the North-West and South–West regions)

 between demonstrators and the security forces.

There are reports that four protesters died in Bamenda on 8 December 2016. The situation remains changeable and has the possibility of escalation to other Anglophone cities and towns. You should avoid large public gatherings and any demonstrations in these regions and around the country. You should monitor local media for updates. There is a high threat from terrorism. The terrorist group Boko Haram is active in the Far North but attacks could occur anywhere including major towns and cities such as Yaoundé and Douala. In 2016, there have been numerous suicide attacks which have resulted in over 200 dead in the Far North region. Key targets have been large open markets, hotels, parks and sporting venues. There have also been attempts to take hostages and heavy gunfights reported in Babouang and Mbarang in Adamaoua region. Boko Haram has publicly threatened Cameroon with attacks and further kidnappings due to Cameroon’s involvement in the regional fight to counter Boko Haram. There’s a heightened threat of kidnap to western nationals in the north of Cameroon, including in the major cities.You should remain vigilant and exercise caution.

See Terrorism There have been reports of criminality including large armed gangs and highway bandits, stopping travellers, taking hostages and demanding payment, particularly in the east of Cameroon, close to the Central African Republic (CAR) border. There are frequent instances of violence in CAR spilling across the border to Cameroon. Nigerian military operations in the states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa in Nigeria could have an impact across the border in Cameroon. There are increased reports of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. Take great care when travelling in coastal waters, including the coastline of Cameroon and the Doula port. Despite the high crime levels, most visits to Cameroon are trouble-free. Only a few British nationals needed consular assistance in the past year. Take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before you travel.

Question: On which Gulf is Cameroon?
Answer: GULF OF GUINEA